The invention relates to an electrical connection device for components of heaters, especially vehicle heaters, such as ignition devices, sensors, motor drive devices or the like, in which lines coming from the components are combined for interconnection, by means of the connection device, with a power supply line that runs from the connection device to a control device and/or power supply.
Until now the lines coming from the components were combined into a kind of cable tree, and connector boxes or the like were used for the interconnection. Especially in heaters to be installed in vehicles, difficulties arise with respect to watertightness when such a method of connection is used, since it cannot always be guaranteed that the heaters are installed in a splashproof area of the vehicle. Further, it is time consuming to make an electric connection in the manner stated above and polarity reversals, i.e., incorrect terminal connections, occur time and again, since exact knowledge and experience are necessary to differentiate among the multiplicity of lines coming from the various components and then to connect them correctly to an electric connector.
An attempt has also been made to combine the lines in a chamber on the heater, which is then closed, especially in a watertight manner, by a cover. Such a chamber must be taken into consideration in designing a housing for the heater and, therefore, leads to a cost increase in the production of the housing. Examples of vehicle heaters having a housing with an integral chamber for various electrical components can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,989,029 and No. 3,989,030.